One Piece (Anime)

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After the manga had started very successfully, it was basically only a matter of time until a Anime from the manga series. The Japanese production studio Toei animation has been producing both the anime and 16 feature films and various TV specials to date since 1999.

Original video animation

OVA (Original Video Animation) is an anime produced exclusively for the video market. In the case of One Piece, such an OVA appeared in 1998, produced by the production studio Production I.G. Under the name “One Piece: Finish Him! The Pirate Ganzack” it was released together with two other OVAs of other series (Hunter × Hunter and Seikimatsu Leader Takeshi) within the framework of the 30th anniversary of the Jump Super Anime Tour published. Since a different production company was responsible for the OVA, other seiyuu were also hired than for the later TV anime. Readers of Weekly Shōnen Jump had the opportunity to purchase a VHS copy for ¥500.

For the 40th anniversary of the Jump Super Anime Tour, the second One Piece OVA, Romance Dawn Remake, was released.

Television series

Japan

Production

The rights of the One Piece anime are held by the mangaka Eiichiro Oda, the publishing company Shūeisha the production studio Toei Animation, the broadcasting station Fuji TV, sponsors, and the Japanese advertising agency Asatsu-DK. All rights holders have some say in the production and broadcasting around the anime.

The production of an anime episode of One Piece involves many people. For example, the production studio Toei Animation employs directors, animators, scriptwriters, producers, composers and voice actors (Seiyū). To complete a single episode for TV broadcast, it takes several months. To avoid getting into a bottleneck, alternating teams work on different episodes in parallel. The production costs per episode amount to about 10 million yen, which corresponds to about 75,000 – 80,000 euros.

Charisma

On October 20, 1999, the television series produced by Toei Animation started on the Japanese channel Fuji TV. Japanese TV stations provide a weekly broadcast – occasionally the broadcast is suspended in favor of special events. The anime’s first broadcast slot was Wednesdays from 19:00 – 19:30. Starting with episode 064 (April 15, 2001), a new episode aired every Sunday at 19:00. With the start of flashbacks, the broadcast slot was moved to Sundays 09:30 starting with episode 279 (October 01, 2006), where the anime still airs weekly with few exceptions.

As with Weekly Shōnen Jump on holidays, there are set breaks when the anime stops airing, such as at the turn of the year or in favor of the annual Nagoya Women’s Marathons in March, which is broadcast by Fuji TV. Rarely does the anime take an unscheduled break due to natural disasters, as in March 2011 as a result of the Tōhoku earthquake and the associated Fukushima nuclear disaster or other events such as North Korea’s missile test in February 2016. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020, production had to pause for nine weeks. This is the longest forced break the anime has ever had to experience.

At the beginning, the anime was broadcast in the normal format 4:3. Since episode 207, however, was switched to HDTV and thus to the format 16:9. From 07 April 2012 to 30 March 2013, the series began to repeat every Saturday at 9:55 under the additional name “Special Edition”. The Special Edition was a re-release of the anime starting from episode 001. In this case, re-release does not mean a newly animated anime series. The aspect ratio of the old 4:3 episodes was merely upscaled to 16:9 and the edges were cropped. However, only the first 53 episodes were aired, not the first 206. The filler episodes 045-046 and 050-051 were omitted.

Screenshot of the anime series

Eyecatcher / Commercial Break Animation

Eyecatchers are the commercial breakers that introduce and end the commercial break in Japanese anime. They are usually short scenes or illustrations. In the One Piece anime, this happens about halfway through the episode. One eyecatcher introduces the commercial, while another fades back into the episode. So far, four different versions of Eyecatchers have appeared since the series began. All members of the Straw Hat Pirates have their own Eyecatcher in each version.

In the first set of Eyecatchers, the individual straw hats are shown on wanted posters. Besides the Straw Hat Pirates, there is also a wanted poster with Vivi and Karoo. However, this Eyecatcher was only used during their journey together to the end of the Arabasta Arc. In the second set, the individual members as well as personal items are observed through a telescope in a short scene. From the time jump on, personal items of the members are seen lying on a table, which are then taken by the respective member as they pass by. From episode 535, an eyecatcher with the One Piece logo appears for the first time, which from then on in each episode leads from the advertising back to the episode. After the end of the Dress Rosa arc, the Straw Hats can be seen again on their now new wanted posters distributed by the Newspaper Seagulls. There is also an eye-catcher of Bartolomeo and Trafalgar Law, each with the corresponding pirate ships in the background, in reference to the first set.

With the start of the Wa No Kuni arc, there are two new eye-catchers with Luffy and Zoro. The music is reinterpreted with Japanese sounds while the two Straw Hats perform an attack and ultimately each fades into a group shot of the Straw Hat Pirates. During Oden’s flashback, new eye-catchers followed, showing parallels between Luffy and Oden’s lives. First, Luffy, Nami and Zoro are shown in a close-up.

Then it fades to a still shot showing an experience of Luffy. As a counterpart, a close-up and dissolve follows with Roger, Shanks and Oden. The camerawork, presentation and effects in the dissolve are the same as in the Straw Hats. The melody used for the Roger pirate gang is Luffy’s Japanese-style theme, while Luffy’s original theme is used for the Straw Hats. The following freeze frame shows an event of Oden, which is similar to the one shown before of Luffy (for example, Luffy and Zoro eating something at Tsuru’s store, just like Oden and Kinemon did in the past).

After the end of the flashback, the previous Wano Country Eyecatchers featuring the Straw Hat Pirates are briefly shown again before an entirely new set is introduced once more. The first Eyecatcher always introduces the commercial: The Straw Hat Pirates (with the exception of Zoro and Sanji) run through the frame in front of a Japanese room divider, with only their upper bodies showing. Only Luffy is seen, who then turns around before a pan to the gang’s group shot.

The second eye-catcher again fades from the commercial to the sequel: Sanji is seen flirting with two women from Wano Country in front of the room divider before Zoro cuts it from the other side of the room divider. Afterwards, the red sword scabbards are shown. After the special episodes for One Piece Film Red, the eye-catchers were changed again. The fourth Wano Country set begins with Luffy grabbing Momonosuke with his extended arm and then landing on his head.

A Hanafuda card then appears, showing Luffy riding a wild boar. In the second eye-catcher, the red sword scabbards face each other on the left and right, and the camera moves between them to Momonosuke, who is standing at the end of the sword scabbards. The image zooms into Momonosuke’s eye and it fades to a group shot of the Straw Hat Pirates standing with their backs to the camera, watching the sunrise. A Hanafuda card appears again, this time showing Zoro drinking a large bowl of sake.

Anime Guide

Year of broadcastEpisodesEpisode countBroadcast breaksNumber of fillersDouble episodesImplemented chaptersArcs
1999 *Episode 001-00885007+008Chapter 001-021
(21 chapters)
Romance Dawn Arc to Buggy Arc
2000Episode 009-05244122020+021, 032+033, 042+043, 048+049Chapter 022-099
(78 chapters)
Kuro Arc to Loguetown Arc
2001 *Episode 053-09442159058+059, 062+063, 064+065
076+077, 082+083, 091+092
Chapter 100-158
(59 chapters)
Loguetown Arc to Arabasta Arc
2002Episode 095-13844912127+128Chapters 159-218
(60 chapters)
Arabasta Arc to Goat Island Arc
2003Episode 139-17537165169+170Chapter 218-267
(50 chapters)
Rainbow Nebula Arc to Skypiea Arc
2004Episode 176-214391613187+188, 204+205Chapter 268-313
(46 chapters)
Skypiea Arc to Davy Back Fight Arc
2005Episode 215-25339178215+216, 227+228, 250+251Chapter 313-362
(50 chapters)
Davy Back Fight Arc to Water 7 Arc
2006 *Episode 254-29138166 *268+269, 277+278Chapter 363-407
(45 chapters)
Water 7 Arc to Enies Lobby Arc
2007Episode 292-33645716 *Chapter 407-441
(35 chapters)
Enies Lobby Arc to Ice Hunter Arc
2008Episode 337-3834752Chapter 442-490
(49 chapters)
Thriller Bark Arc to Spa Island Arc
2009Episode 384-4324947 *Chapter 490-531
(42 chapters)
Spa Island Arc to Impel Down Arc
2010Episode 433-4814932Chapter 532-572
(41 chapters)
Impel Down Arc to Marineford Arc
2011Episode 482-5294844 *Chapter 573-610
(38 chapters)
Marineford Arc to Fish Man Island Arc
2012Episode 530-5784935 *Chapter 611-655
(45 chapters)
Fish Man Island Arc to Punk Hazard Arc
2013Episode 579-6264842 *Chapter 655-699
(45 chapters)
Punk Hazard Arc to Caesar Rescue Arc
2014Episode 627-6765022Chapter 699-742
(44 chapters)
Caesar Rescue Arc to Dress Pink Arc
2015Episode 677-724485Chapters 743-783
(41 chapters)
Dress Pink Arc
2016Episode 725-7704664 *Chapter 783-818
(36 chapters)
Dress Pink Arc to Zou Arc
2017Episode 771-8194944807+808Chapter 819-852
(34 chapters)
Zou Arc to Whole Cake Island Arc
2018Episode 820-866475Chapters 852-892
(41 chapters)
Whole Cake Island Arc
2019Episode 867-9154933Chapter 892-924
(33 chapters)
Whole Cake Island Arc to Wa No Kuni Arc
2020Episode 916-9564111Chapter 924-955
(32 chapters)
Wa No Kuni Arc
2021Episode 957-10044931 *Chapter 955-992
(38 chapters)
Wa No Kuni Arc
2022Episode 1005-10363210Chapter 993 – 1.012
(20 chapters)
Wa No Kuni Arc

Streaming

On February 22, 2020, the on-demand service Crunchyroll announced that the anime series will also be in their portfolio in the future. In addition to the simulcast, all previous episodes should also be made available, starting with episode 001.

TV Specials

As part of the TV series, specials are also produced for special occasions or even holidays – similar to the fillers, they are basically self-contained and show the Straw Hat Pirates in sometimes unusual surroundings. While the first specials (1-3) were each two episodes in length, the fourth special contained two episodes that aired together. Since then, the TV specials have been only the length of normal episodes. Since August 2012, a TV Special has also been shown annually outside of the anime’s normal broadcast schedule. Most of these are remakes of past arcs, but some also include new story arcs.

DesignationTitleFirst broadcast
Japan
TV Special 1In the navel of the seaDecember 20, 2000
TV Special 2Open to the wide sea! The huge, huge dream of a fatherApril 06, 2003
TV Special 3Protect them! The last great performanceDecember 14, 2003
TV Special 4The detective story of Boss Straw Hat LuffyDecember 18, 2005
TV Special 5Easy come easy go!December 24, 2006
TV Special 6Hunt for the jackpotJanuary 07, 2007
TV Special 7The Cherry Blossom FestivalApril 1, 2007
TV Special 8Chopper Man in action!December 23, 2007
TV Special 9Boss Luffy is back!June 21, 2009
TV Special 10The Thriller Company TrapJune 28, 2009
TV Special 11Episode of Nami: The Tears of the Navigator. The bond of comrades.August 25, 2012
TV Special 12Episode of Luffy: Adventures on Hand IslandDecember 15, 2012
TV Special 13Episode of Merry: The story about an unusual crew memberAugust 24, 2013
TV Special 143D2Y: Overcome Ace’s Death! The vow of comradesAugust 30, 2014
TV Special 15Episode of Sabo: The bond of the 3 brothers, the miraculous reunion and the inherited determinationAugust 22, 2015
TV Special 16Adventure on Nebulandia19 December 2015
TV Special 17Heart of GoldJuly 16, 2016
TV Special 18Episode of East Blue: The Great Adventure of Luffy and His Four FriendsAugust 26, 2017
TV Special 19Episode of Sky IslandAugust 25, 2018
TV Special 20Romance DawnOctober 20, 2019
Strong World SpecialThe order of the Golden Lion!
Attack on Little East Blue!
Amigo pirate attack
Luffy vs. Largo!
November 15, 2009
November 22, 2009
November 29, 2009
December 06, 2009
Collaboration SpecialThe strongest team! The fierce battle of Luffy and Toriko!
The team stands! Save Chopper
The strongest alliance in history VS Glutton of the seas
April 03, 2011
April 08, 2012
07 april 2013
Z’s big dreamThe little giantess Lily!
The appearance of the strongest army!
An ingenious, desperate escape plan!
Luffy versus Shuzo.
02 December 2012
09 December 2012
December 16, 2012
December 23 2012
Silver Mine ArcThe silver fortress! Luffy and Bartolomeo’s great adventure!
Deep in the mine! Luffy against the human train!
In the heat of the moment! Law and Zoro rush to the rescue!
A hopeless situation! The hot battle on Silver Mine!
June 26, 2016
July 03, 2016
July 10, 2016
July 17, 2016
Stampede SpecialCidre, the greatest bounty hunter in the world!
Luffy against the carbonic acid king!
July 28, 2019
August 05, 2019
Red SpecialFleeting Memories – Luffy and Uta, the Daughter of Red Hair
The oath of the new era! Luffy and Uta
August 14, 2022
August 21, 2022

Movies

When it was clear that the series was a resounding success, decided to Toei animation to release a feature film in theaters for the year 2000. Until 2008, a new feature film was produced every spring. In 2009, this tradition was broken. The film “Strong World” was not released until winter, and Eiichiro Oda also participated extensively in the film, contributing more than just character designs as in previous films. In 2011, only one Jump Heroes movie was released together with Toriko was released in theaters, but it is not counted in the official count of films. From then on, a new feature film followed every three years, in which Eiichiro Oda was involved in one way or another in the production.

Cinema release in JapanMovie titleBox office results
March 04, 2000One Piece Movie 1 – The Movie¥2.160.000.000
March 03, 2001One Piece Movie 2 – Adventure on the Spiral Island
Special: Jangos Dance Festival
¥3.000.000.000
March 02, 2002One Piece Movie 3 – Chopper on the island of strange animals
Special: Dream Soccer King
¥2.000.000.000
March 03, 2003One Piece Movie 4 – The Dead End Adventure¥2.000.000.000
March 06, 2004One Piece Movie 5 – The Curse of the Sacred Sword
Special: Goal! Pirate baseball king
¥1.800.000.000
March 05, 2005One Piece Movie 6 – Baron Omatsuri and the mysterious island¥1.200.000.000
March 04, 2006One Piece Movie 7 – Karakuri Castle Metal Soldiers¥900.000.000
March 03, 2007One Piece Movie 8 – Adventures in Arabasta – The Desert Princess¥900.000.000
March 01, 2008One Piece Movie 9 – Chopper and the Miracle of the Winter Cherry Blossom¥920.000.000
December 12, 2009One Piece Movie 10 – Strong World¥4.800.000.000
March 19, 2011Jump Heroes Movie – One Piece 3D: Mugiwara Chase¥790.000.000
December 15, 2012One Piece Movie 11 – Z
Special: Glorious Island
¥6.870.000.000
July 23, 2016One Piece Movie 12 – Gold
Special: Episode 0: 711 ver.
¥5.180.000.000
August 09, 2019One Piece Movie 13 – Stampede¥5.500.000.000
06 August 2022One Piece Movie 14 – Red¥17.100.000.000 *

Category pages of: One Piece (Anime)

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